Monday, May 17, 2010

Thanks to Sharon for the suggestion on my Facebook page that I write about how Mike and I met. It's funny because Annie was just asking me about it tonight.

We were both students at Butler University. I was a sophomore and Mike was a freshman. (That's right -- I'm a cradle robber!) Butler had an annual weekend camping experience called "Freshman Weekend." It took place on the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend because there were classes on Labor Day.

Freshman Weekend was put on by the Butler YMCA as an extended mixer, if you will, to help members of the freshman class get to know each other. I went as a camper my freshman year and returned as a "counselor" my sophomore year. It took place at a YMCA camp called Flat Rock.

Mike said he first noticed me when I was in the middle of a circle as we were playing "Smile if you love me, honey." Someone stands in the center and one at time, people come up and say -- in the most outrageous way they can think of -- "Smile if you love me, honey." Once the person in the middle cracks a smile, the person who made them smile takes the center.

I don't remember Mike from that activity. It wasn't until he was assigned to my skit group that I noticed him. Annie asked what I noticed first. I think it was his hair -- dark, definitely my type. Then I probably noticed he was big and cuddly-looking, also features I was attracted to. I'm sure I noticed his smile. At least I think I probably did.

After our group finished practicing the skit (I can't remember for the life of me what it was about), we went back to Mike's cabin -- the SCANDAL! There were several other guys there and we all just sat around and chatted. Mike, however, proceeded to lay down on his bunk and fall asleep. Or so I thought. Several months later, he told me that he was only pretending to sleep because he wanted to listen to see what I was like.

I remember walking down to the campfire with him that night, though I don't remember if we held hands or not. There were more games and singing at the campfire. Including a song called "Sing a song or kiss a counselor." Someone had a flashlight. If the flashlight fell on you, you had to immediately start singing a song. If you hesitated, you would have to kiss a counselor.

Of course the light fell on Mike -- and much to my disappointment, he started belting out the theme from "The Flintstones!" Boy, I probably sound like a floozy admitting I'd hoped he would opt to kiss me.

In fact, he didn't kiss me that whole weekend. What a gentleman. But we did share a few dances. And went for a walk on campus shortly after we returned. Which is when he finally did kiss me.

I met my hubby at a park called Christie Pits. I went for a bike ride w/ my gf and another friend suggested we meet up w/ her there. Hubby was playing basketball. I didn't really notice him at first. I had my eye someone else at the time. Rumor has it, hubby announced to his friends that I was the girl he was going to marry. :) We will be celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary in June.

Great story about how you met.I met my husband in high school choir. He is two years older so we weren't in any classes together, but we really got to know each other on a choir trip to Minneapolis. We were buddies for a couple years before we started to actually date. We have been married for almost 31 years now.